1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a drug storing apparatus, and more particularly to a drug storing apparatus for use in an automatic drug dispensing machine. The apparatus consists of a multiplicity of drug cases arranged in rows one on top of the other with their outlets oriented towards a central portion of the drug dispensing machine. The drug cases as well as their drive elements may be disengaged from a frame to facilitate assembly, repairs, or refilling of medications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is particularly adapted for use in hospitals and large-sized drug stores. The invention may be employed in conjunction with computerized systems for dispensing a predetermined number of drugs from drug cases into a packing machine. Preferably, each pack of drugs is printed with the name of the patient to which the drugs are to be administered, a particular time and date for administration, and the like; besides, each pack preferably contains a dosage of drugs for one administration.
There are a number of patents relating to drug or small item dispensing machines or apparatuses, namely, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,697,721; 5,044,516; 5,101,612; 5,146,730; 5,152,422; 5,176,285; 5,191,741; 5,329,749 and 5,363,887. These patents are, however, directed to continuous dispensing of only a single kind of drugs. Among these, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,422 teaches a plurality of pill containers held in a magazine disposed inside a cylindrical housing removably mounted on a base. U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,285 describes an automatic pill dispensing apparatus comprising a plurality of cartridges mounted on a common rotatable shaft within a housing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,721 discloses a pill storage and dispensing cassette. U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,516 also teaches an automated pill dispensing device comprising a stationary annular plate in which a boss formed on a movable plate is received.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,057 depicts a packing machine for packing small items like a tablet, capsule or pill. This patent discloses a feed slider and a distributing slider positioned over each other, both of which reciprocate in a horizontal direction perpendicular to each other, in which small items are allowed to drop from openings in the feed slider through holes in the distributing slider into cups. Said patent is also directed to the dispensing of single items.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,065 discloses a circuitry and system for controlling multi-use article dispensing cells, while U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,396,828 and 4,597,091 respectively provide a different form of pill counter.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,026 to Wigoda, a pill dispensing machine for use in hospital or big drug stores is disclosed. Wigoda teaches a container strip 12 with preformed recesses. Pills are dispensed into the recesses by means of a plurality of dispensing devices. A pill container unit consists substantially of four recesses and is covered by a backing 22 printed with the name of the patient and the particular time and date for administration. Each pill container unit contains at most four doses (four packs) for one day's administration. This patent, however, does not provide any improvement on the dispensing units.
Inamura et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,652 provide a comparatively complete drug packing apparatus, which includes improvements on the dispensing units. Said packing apparatus comprises a multiplicity of upwardly extending elongated tablet cases in a planar arrangement to one another, which are disposed in an upper section of a casing for storing various kinds of drugs. The tablets are collectively transferred by a transfer mechanism into a packing machine. It is, however, difficult to refill the tablet cases in the central portion. It is also not easy to identify a particular tablet case from the many tablet cases on the planar surface. Besides, the horizontal distance from the bottom of each tablet case to the transfer mechanism is great, prolonging the time for transferring the tablets to the packing machine.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,621,480 and 5,329,750 respectively provide a packing machine, while U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,289 teaches filling of medications into tubular structures, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,196 describes pill storing boxes containing medications for monthly administration.
In 1980, the inventor of the present invention invented an automatic pharmacy system for Taiwan's Taichung Veterans' General Hospital. The system has worked excellently. The pharmacy system includes a box-type drug storing apparatus (as shown in FIG. 9) in which, according to input commands, drugs may be automatically dispensed into a hopper to be ready for packing, so that the drug dispensing and packing operations become automated.
Upon further study and research, the inventor has found the following drawbacks in the above-mentioned pharmacy system:
(1) The size of the drug storing apparatus is too large. It will require a length of about 3 m. in order to handle the workload of a large hospital's pharmacy. PA1 (2) The greatest drawback is that, as shown in FIG. 9, when a tablet discharged from a drug case 1 rolls to the center of a hopper to be ready for packing, the horizontal distance A from the case 1 to the center of the hopper is very far. Since the packing machine of the system will not proceed with a packing operation unless all the predetermined number and kinds of drugs are collected, the time it takes for a drug to roll along the hopper will directly affect the cycle of the packing process. In other words, if the horizontal distance A is reduced, the packing operation will be quicker and hence more efficient. PA1 (3) The drug storing cases 1 are substantially drawer-like structures, each of which is provided with rails. After they are pulled out, they have to be pushed back into place with the hands. Additionally, the inside of each drawer must be provided with a drug feeding element for pushing the drugs near an outlet, hence the structural elements of the prior invention are complicated and assembly thereof is not easy. It is also costly to manufacture. PA1 (4) The amounts of drugs stored inside the drawers must be checked regularly by pulling out each of them. When checking the amounts of the stored drugs or refilling them, the entire drug storing system has to be paused, interrupting the dispensing operation.